Grammy-nominated Afro-house singer, Niniola Apata has poured her heart out in a deeply emotional tribute on Instagram, revealing just how shattered she remains following the death of her husband, Michael Ndika, who passed away on May 19, 2026, at the age of 44.

In a lengthy post shared on Thursday, May 28, the singer confessed that she is still living in a state of denial, unable to fully accept that her husband of 13 years is gone. She described finding herself waiting and expecting him to walk through the door, as though he had simply stepped out and would return at any moment. The raw honesty of her words struck a chord with fans and industry colleagues across the country.

Niniola painted a picture of a bond that went far beyond a conventional marriage. She described Michael as her best friend, confidant, pillar, provider, business partner, and the very air she breathed a man who occupied every meaningful space in her life. Despite describing herself as a natural loner, she said he was all she ever needed, and that the two were almost always together, even within the walls of their home. He reportedly always wanted her close, and she found complete comfort in that closeness.

The news of her husband’s death, which she first announced in a series of devastated Instagram Story posts on May 20, came as a shock to many fans who had been unaware she was married at all. Niniola had kept her personal life almost entirely out of the public eye throughout their 13 years together. Her raw, fragmented posts — including the words “God took him. 13 years. 13 f***ing years” were the first many had heard of her marriage, let alone her loss.

Michael Ndika was the Chief Executive Officer of NaijaReview, a multimedia platform dedicated to Afro-house and contemporary African music, and was also said to have played a key supporting role in Niniola’s career behind the scenes. A graduate of Computer Science from Lagos State University and Yaba College of Technology, he was known as a private, devoted man. His family, in an obituary notice, described him as a devoted husband, son, brother, uncle, and friend, adding that funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course.

Niniola rose to national prominence after her standout appearance on Project Fame West Africa in 2013 and has since built one of the most distinctive sounds in the Nigerian music industry. As she navigates the most painful season of her life, the outpouring of support from fans, fellow artists, and industry insiders has been overwhelming a testament to how deeply she is loved by those who have followed her journey.